“So, when do we get to meet her? Any friend of yours is a friend of ours, right, Tal?” Her eyes swing to him and soften with a small nod.
“I’m not sure, she works a lot. I think she’s off for the next few days though. We’re planning on surfing dawn patrol tomorrow.”
I can hardly wait to get in the water. I surfed a bit in my first two years of college in San Diego, but it wasn’t until I transferred to Sydney that I really threw myself into it. Breck was always dragging me out with him in the mornings before classes and to random surf camps up and down the coast. I know he doesn’t get to go nearly as often now between work and family stuff. He’s busy, and I get that, but it used to be a huge part of his life.
“She surfs?” His eyes brighten, and he sounds even more excited about meeting her. “I haven’t gone to Bondi in ages, I’d love to join you. Tal, you don’t mind, do you?”
It bothers me that he has to ask. I know they live together, have a kid together,andwork together, but still, Breck’s a waterman. Talia’s eyes drop to the table as she gives a little shrug.
“Yeah, it should be fine. I can take Willow to school, but we have a nine-o’clock meeting that I need you to be at.”
“I won’t miss it!” He leans and plants a kiss on her lips. She blushes and looks around as though embarrassed. They’ve been together for over eight years, you’d think she’d be used to his publicly affectionate ways by now.
“Thanks, babe.”
He looks back at me with those dimples carved into his cheeks. He’s like a big puppy who just got a treat, and I don’t know why it doesn’t sit right with me.
CHAPTER TEN
Joss
My alarm blares from the bedside table and I’m this close to reaching for it and throwing it across the room. Five in the morning is indecent. Part of me wants to roll over and go back to sleep, but the other part remembers why I’m awake in the first place.
I pull on my bikini, blushing at the vivid picture in my mind of Wes’s face yesterday when he sized it up. Maybe I should wear a different one? I’m not looking to make this harder on either of us, but I do love this suit.
Oh for goodness’ sake, Joss. He’ll hardly see it under your wetsuit!
I slip on a pair of ripped jeans and my favorite hoodie. I take a minute to brush my teeth and braid my hair back, letting it fall across my shoulder before I head for the door. Will Wes actually wake up for this? He’s got to be completely knackered and dealing with jet lagway worse than I am. I’m pretty much immune to it after so many years of constant travel.
All thoughts are banished when I open my door and find Wes leaning casually against the wall. Why is it so sexy when men lean? It should be illegal.
His board shorts hang low on his hips—something I only know because his University of Sydney hoodie isn’t pulled down all the way and I can see the sliver of skin dipping under his waistband. There’s a long, jagged scar across the top of his knee and another along the side that disappears under the hem of his shorts. I guess the old adage is true—chicks dig scars. AndthoseI want to know the story behind.
His hair is tousled, definitely looking like he just woke up, and his eyes still have that soft quality about them like they might slip closed again at any moment. But he’s here, and the smile on his face makes his dimples pop. I can’t help but offer him a grin in exchange. It’s not until he speaks that I finally snap myself out of my less-than-neighborly perusal.
“Morning, Grey.” Even his voice sounds sleepy. A little gravelly. I think I might like his morning voice better than his normal one.
“M-morning,” I stutter, looking for something to say that isn’tI’m thinking about your bedroom voice and wondering about your scars. “Nice board.”
There, see? Not so difficult.
His board looks like it used to be white but has yellowed with age and old wax. The only contrast to the color is a single navy-blue stripe down the center.
He shifts a little to glance at where his board is propped beside him before taking in the one I’ve got gripped under my arm. “You too. I hope you don’t mind, but I invited my buddy Breck to come this morning. He offered to pick us up downstairs.”
He mentioned his friend yesterday, but I didn’t realize he was joining us. I really don’t mind, though. I like having people out there with me, and it’s been a while since anyone’s been willing to get up this early.
“Awesome.” I look between our two boards again. “I hope he drives a ute.” The board rack on my car only carries two boards; we’ll need the extra space with three. A hint of confusion crosses his face followed by a light of recognition.
“Oh yeah,” he responds with a laugh, “he does. I forgot you Aussies have bastardized the wordtruck. There should be plenty of space in the bed.”
I laugh and it feels like the most natural thing in the world—to laugh with Wes. “We should probably get going then so he doesn’t think we overslept.”
Wes grabs a grocery bag that contains his wetsuit and a towel off the floor, and I eye it with curiosity.
He shrugs. “My backpack ripped, remember? Until I can replace it, I don’t really have anything else to carry my stuff in.”
Then he reaches across and grabs my board from me so I can lock up, but he doesn’t hand it back as we walk to the elevator. No, like a gentleman, he just continues to carry it, and I can’t help but smile at the way that makes me feel. It’s been a long time since I let anyone help me. With anything.
